Power factor condenser



Jan. 26, 1932. w. DUBILIER POWER FACTOR CONDENSER Filed oct. 22'.

W ||-I l-- n Q Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEWILLIAM DUBILIER, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DUBILIERCONDENSER CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F DELAWAREPOWER FACTOR CONDENSER Application filed October 22, 1927. Serial No.228,050.

15 An object of the invention is to provide a unitary condenserstructure so arranged that, if a given part short circuits, theremainder will not be aii'ected and can remain in service. Other objectsand advantages are set forth in the following description, taken withthe drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of my invention. Butthis disclosure is illustrative only, and I mayvary the details ofshape, size and arrangement of parts to the full extent permitted by thescope and meaning of the appended claims, in which the novelty of theinvention is eX- pressed.

In the drawings the same numerals identify the same elements in thevarious igures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a condenser emu bodying this invention,

Figure 2- is a perspective view thereof,

Figure 3 is a diagram showingvthe circuit connections when the condenseris in operation; 'and Figure 4 is an enlarged view showing more indetail the construction of certain fuses.

The condenser comprises a series of parts or sections 1, which consistof alternate layers of dielectric and conducting material. 'Each sectionmay be of the type that is made by winding paper and metal foil into aflattened roll. YThese parts are each provided with terminals 2 and 3.All of the sections are held in a stack under compression by a clamp,one abutment of which comprises two normally bowed spring pieces 4,preferably of metal. The other abutment consists of the two rigid bars5. These abutments are pulled together by tension bolts 6, which tensionflattens the clamping members or spring pieces 4 and the presence ofthese springs insures that the compression of units 1 will always bemaintained. Large wood blocks or end elements 7 are placed between theabutments and the condenser elements. Insulating side sheets 8 arelocated between the metal tension rods 6 and the condenser units 1. Asimilar end sheet of thin insulating material is placed between each endof the stack andl adjacent to the end elements or wood block 7 to insurethe insulating action of the wood.

Terminals 9 and 10 lead into the condenser from the outside by way ofbus-bars 11 and 12. These bars are mechanically fastened to a cover orinsulating sheet 13 which overlies the tops of the parts 1 and hasturned up ends 14 that rest against the wood blocks 7. This insulatingsheet 13 is held in position by a wood rod or dowel 15, which passesthrough ends 7 and the turned up portions 14. .Two more of thesestructural rods 15 pass through the blocks 7 and underneath the parts 1to hold the parts in place. Here it should be noted that the insulatingsheet 13 covers the entire top of the sections 1, having notches 16 cutout to permit the terminals 2 and 3 to pass through. The terminals 3 aredirectly connected to bus-bar 11 by means of fuses 17, the main featuresof this invention centering about these fuses.

'Ihe fuses 17 with no protection other than the sheet of insulatingmaterial 13 and the wax (not shown) in which the complete assemblage isembedded are entirely operative.

Figures l, 2 and 4 show a preferred modification of the fuses in whicheach individual fuse is enclosed in an insulating tube 22 which tube 22insures against any appreciable melting or contamination of theenclosing wax. This arrangement also results in more uniform operatingcharacteristics of they fuses, particularly since the melting point of afuse may vary when in contact with the impregnating wax.

r t yon-e, or more points within the stack of sections, stiii'eningplates 18 are placed to maintain the ilatness of the paper wound parts1.

A surrounding casing or box 19 is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.After assemblage this easing 19 is filled with molten wax so that all ofthe condenser sections, including their lterminals and fuses, areembedded therein. In this figure a main fuse 2O is` shown between thecondenser as a whole and the alternating current. The diagram, Fig. 3,shows how the condenser is installed. Its

terminals are connected directly across the terminals of an alternatingcurrent motor, 21 for example, so that the exciting currents of themotor, as distinguished from the useful currents, can surge directlyinto the condenser and be returned in time for the next cycle instead ofsurging out into the main line thereby overloading transformers andpower house lines with non-productive current, used only forremagnetizing the coils of the motor. l

This invention, as applied to power factor correction condensers,operates as follows:

In case a puncture develops through the dielectric of any given section,of course the entire current being supplied to the motor would, in time,be short circuited, not just through the condenser as a whole, but allof the current would pass through this particular section. However, longbefoi'e the outside current would have time to pass through the shortedplace, all of the other sections will discharge through the shortcircuited place producing a rather severe discharge. The fuse 17 of thisparticular unit is, of course, blown and this would happen even if thefuse 17 were -no smaller than the main fuse 20. An enormous arc isproduced but it is quickly extinguished due to the fact that the currentis alternating instead of direct. the current becoming zero at the timeof reversal in theI cycle. In fact, the adjacent condenser sectionsthrough their capacitance may allow some of the current to surge intothem thus aiding in extinguishing the arc at the next Zero point in thealternating cycle. The damaged section is thus automatically cut out ofcircuit, and the arc being quickly extinguished. operation will thencontinue perfectly normal except at a slightly reduced capacity, the onesection no longer functioning. This merely means that the power factorwill not be so thoroughly corrected as it was while all of the sectionswere operative; but no greater injury or impairment of function willoccur. i The invention is not limited to the single modification abovedescribed, but numerous changes could be made without exceeding thescope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new and desire tosecure and 'protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1'. An electric condenser comprising end elements, clamping membersbearing on said elements, tension rods joining said members, structuralrods engaging the end elements. and insulating material between thetension rods and the condenser.

2. A condenser as stated in claim 1 in which one of said clampingmembers is in the form of a attened lleaf spring.

3. An electric condenser comprising a plurality of sections, endelements, stiifening rality of parts each composed of layers ofdielectric and conducting material, arranged so that the layers intheseveral parts are parallel, end elements located adjacent the parts andparallel to said layers, structural members extending through saidelements to partially envelop said parts, and a clamp operativelyconnected to said elements, said clamp including tension rods thatcomplete the enveloping of said parts.

G. A unitary condenser structure comprising a plurality of electricparts, an element .at each end of the structure, clamping membersbearing on said elements, tension rods joining said members, sticksjoining said elements, said rods, elements and sticks struc turallyenveloping the units, bus-bars adg jacent the row of parts andinsulation between the parts and one or more of the busbas and betweenthe parts and the tension ro s.

7. In a condenser comprising sections having terminals and membersadjacent said sections, the combination of an insulating sheet locatedadjacent said terminals and held in place by one of said members and oneor more bus-bars attached to the insulating sheet.

8. A condenser as stated in claim 7 in which the insulating sheet isrovided with notches through which some o the terminals project.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WHJLIAM DUBILIER.

